A Course Handicapping Method...
Posted: February 10th, 2020, 4:08 am
I'll toss in my solution to this issue. I went thru the same thing when I created my first fictional course that didn't already have handicaps. Just keep in mind that this is only one method, but I found it to be the fastest, the easiest, the fairest, and the most reasonable solution I could find. Just my personal opinion, nothing more.
There are 2 programs or utilities that I used.
One is an executable "Handicap Calculator" program that works like an XL spreadsheet.
Two is a registry edit program that disables ball flight to save time.
When using the ball flight disabler what happens is, your player will make a swing, and the instant you hear the CLACK of the club striking the ball, the shot is instantly over and the ball will show up where it would have landed if you had watched it fly there. This saves a tremendous amount of time. This registry program can be toggled on and off as needed.
Here's the method I used.
First I ran the registry program to turn off ball flight. Next I started a game and assigned a foursome of computer players to play my course. 2 were pro, and 2 were champ. NOTE: You do NOT have to play with these guys. They will play the complete round by themselves automatically without your help. (unless one of them gets stuck in an unusual situation where for some odd reason they can't complete the shot , which is rare)
I set the course wind and speed to random settings which I just made up on my own. I made some very difficult round conditions, and some easy ones and let them play out the round while I had dinner, or did something else. Seems like it took around 45 minutes for them to play an 18 hole round.
Also, you may choose to leave ball flight enabled and watch that foursome play a round or 2. You can keep your eyes peeled on the course and your work kinda like a beta tester, while they play. You can make notes of anything that needs attention and make the repairs before final release.
After they've completed 18 holes, I entered their scores into the XL handicapping program, and took cell phone pictures of the scorecards in case something went wrong and I lost the original scores. You can also do screen captures and save them to a paint program.
To complete the handicapping chart you need 30 rounds of golf. Playing 7, 18 hole rounds with 4 players will get you 28 rounds. Then one more round with a 2some will complete the chart. After all 30 rounds are entered into the handicapper calculator, you will then have your handicaps to enter into your course.
NOTES:
Make sure each round has different conditions, and always use 2 PRO & 2 CHAMP players (or equal amounts of each) per round.
In the rare circumstances that one of them gets stuck, such as what I had happen once, do not give that player more than 3 over par for that specific hole. (I had a player that kept hitting a wood out of a green side bunker, and knocking it out of bounds). I ended up making him pick up. That was a game fluke. I didn't think it would have been reasonable to give him an outrageous score because of that, so I gave him 3 over par on that hole and entered it into the handicapping calculator.
If you want to give that method a try, here is the handicap calculator and registry program. My advice is to wait until you get all of the scores completed before you enter them into the calculator. I found that calculator to be a little strange or buggy, and I lost the scores I had already entered, probably because I didn't have any detailed instructions on exactly how to use it. So you're on your own when it comes to that. One important thing to remember is the name you give it when you save it. Make it something simple that you won't forget. Remember, its an .exe program, and when you save scores in it and try to open it another time, you need the exact name you saved it as. Otherwise you can't find what you had already entered. That was why I suggested doing it all at one time. How you choose to try is up to you. Just make sure you save backup copies of rounds already played.
Good luck,
Dan
Download those 2 utilities here.
Download Course Handicapper Here
Download Skip Ball Flight Utility Here
.
There are 2 programs or utilities that I used.
One is an executable "Handicap Calculator" program that works like an XL spreadsheet.
Two is a registry edit program that disables ball flight to save time.
When using the ball flight disabler what happens is, your player will make a swing, and the instant you hear the CLACK of the club striking the ball, the shot is instantly over and the ball will show up where it would have landed if you had watched it fly there. This saves a tremendous amount of time. This registry program can be toggled on and off as needed.
Here's the method I used.
First I ran the registry program to turn off ball flight. Next I started a game and assigned a foursome of computer players to play my course. 2 were pro, and 2 were champ. NOTE: You do NOT have to play with these guys. They will play the complete round by themselves automatically without your help. (unless one of them gets stuck in an unusual situation where for some odd reason they can't complete the shot , which is rare)
I set the course wind and speed to random settings which I just made up on my own. I made some very difficult round conditions, and some easy ones and let them play out the round while I had dinner, or did something else. Seems like it took around 45 minutes for them to play an 18 hole round.
Also, you may choose to leave ball flight enabled and watch that foursome play a round or 2. You can keep your eyes peeled on the course and your work kinda like a beta tester, while they play. You can make notes of anything that needs attention and make the repairs before final release.
After they've completed 18 holes, I entered their scores into the XL handicapping program, and took cell phone pictures of the scorecards in case something went wrong and I lost the original scores. You can also do screen captures and save them to a paint program.
To complete the handicapping chart you need 30 rounds of golf. Playing 7, 18 hole rounds with 4 players will get you 28 rounds. Then one more round with a 2some will complete the chart. After all 30 rounds are entered into the handicapper calculator, you will then have your handicaps to enter into your course.
NOTES:
Make sure each round has different conditions, and always use 2 PRO & 2 CHAMP players (or equal amounts of each) per round.
In the rare circumstances that one of them gets stuck, such as what I had happen once, do not give that player more than 3 over par for that specific hole. (I had a player that kept hitting a wood out of a green side bunker, and knocking it out of bounds). I ended up making him pick up. That was a game fluke. I didn't think it would have been reasonable to give him an outrageous score because of that, so I gave him 3 over par on that hole and entered it into the handicapping calculator.
If you want to give that method a try, here is the handicap calculator and registry program. My advice is to wait until you get all of the scores completed before you enter them into the calculator. I found that calculator to be a little strange or buggy, and I lost the scores I had already entered, probably because I didn't have any detailed instructions on exactly how to use it. So you're on your own when it comes to that. One important thing to remember is the name you give it when you save it. Make it something simple that you won't forget. Remember, its an .exe program, and when you save scores in it and try to open it another time, you need the exact name you saved it as. Otherwise you can't find what you had already entered. That was why I suggested doing it all at one time. How you choose to try is up to you. Just make sure you save backup copies of rounds already played.
Good luck,
Dan
Download those 2 utilities here.
Download Course Handicapper Here
Download Skip Ball Flight Utility Here
.